Closure means



Feb, 27, 1940. A. w.'wHl-:AroN

CLOSURE MEANS Filed March 25. 1958 l INVENTOR BY b'cmykf. ea wy,

i A ATTORNEY.

i `lamented Feb. 27, l1940 g v This Iinvention Vrelates'to.'closures and moreV y v AUNIT-li'l STATES N PMP.;mjoFF-ice ono-SURE MEANS Abram yW.v Wheaton, Maplewood, N. J., vassigner to A. W. WheatonBrass Works, Newark, N." J.,

a corporation of kNew Jersey l Application March y23, `1938, Serial No. 197,62`5

` -4 claims. (c1. 22o-fas) particularly to closures for sewers, meters, pipe flines, uid'ltransportation and storagetanks and for like units havingan opening which mustbe A,c'ipene'dy and closed. In one of its more specific v previously-opened unit byr the operator subse; v

aspects the inventionis directed to a detachable closure for 'a ll `box connected to an underground storage tank used for the storing of fluids,

such' as gasoline, oil or other r,petroleum products.

' One of the objects of the inventionis to provide' a closure and cooperative actuating tool v,

which assures closing'- and proper sealing of a quent to use thereof and prior to` leaving` the ysaineafterv such use.

` vtached liroma unit to open the latter for use,y

. be readily apparent v,from the following descrip-y Another object ofthe invention is tol maintain the closure and detachable closure operating tool coupled togetherl after the closure has been de- 'closure therefor embodying my;invention. This f figure illustrates the position of they head of a #closure tool immediately after the ltool headvv is,

inserted into the closure or immediately before` its removal from the closure.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figurev land in the ydirection of the arrows.L

" Figure` 3v is atop plan View of Figure l, but

Withyth'e cover plate of the novel closure removed. vFigure 4 is a top plan view of a ll box andthe novel closure therefor.

it `is locked'tc the closure.

Figure 5 `is a cross sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Figure Il. and in the direction of the arrows. v v H l Figure V6 Vis atop plan view of Figure 4, `but with v the cover plate of the novel closure removed.:

Although my novel .closure may be 'used as a closure for a numberoi dierent units, such as pipe lines, transportation tanks, meters and' the like, I shall, for the purpose 'of explaining the invention, describe thesame as 'applied to close a .ll box toseal the same and prevent the entrance of'extraneousmatter into `the iill box and the escapeof fumes `from a storage ytank coupled thereto. I

yReferring to the drawing, the reference char?- Pin 24 is iixedly secured to the annular f 2 l to projectinto the recess 2 This ligure ,illustrates the position ofthe head of a closure tool when` acter Il) indicates a i'llling pipeextendingdownwardlyfroml the ground level to an underground storage tank` (notshown) 'Iheupp'er end of the V pipe l0 isthreaded and makes a threaded connection with thethreaded lower end of the cylindrical portion lief a ll `box. The iill box vcom-v prisesthe cylinder H whichis internally thread# ed `atfboth its"I upper and lower portions, and which is provided with an'annular. enlarged top end portion l2 integral therewith. Said end portion is provided with a ccuntersunk seat t3 concentric tothe bore of the cylinder ll, the same being adapted to seat a closure device.

According to my invention,` I provide a closure adapted to cooperatev with thell box to adequatelyseal the same. The specific closure illustrated comprises a plug or closure member 20, which as shown, is a male member having external threads thereon adapted to make a threaded connection with the. threaded juppe'r end of cylfinder Il 'of the ll box.

The. threadedplug or closure member 20 has an annular flange 2l integral therewith. The lower face'fofA the ange 2l extends outwardly from the threadedsurface of the plug 20 and has.

an annular gasket 22 at its under side. The gasket `22 may be composed of rubber or other material having the desired sealing characteris-v tics inherent in `rubber and such other `materials as leather, -ber andthe like. the plug or closure member is circular recess 2l which is internally coarsely threaded, .and a correspondingly coarsely threaded socket plate `223 makes a threaded connection with the interiorly threaded recess 2|. A stop The socket plate 23 has an lndented arcuate marginal opening 25 into which the stop pin 2li extends. This opening extends only a short distance valong the circumference and along the complete depth or thickness 'of the-plate 23. The plate 23 has a non-circular central `socket opening l2t preferably of substantially rectangular shape adapted tol accommodate the." correspondingly lshaped head`3|l of a too-l or wrench 3l, and I prefer that the socket openinghave one axis longer than another of its axes. The head 3&3 of the tool `3| is provided with a shank 32 andI handle 33. A

. cover plate 2l is secured to the iange 2l by stud bolts or screws 2t. rlhe lower faceI of the cover` plate 21, when the plate'is'seclured to flange` 2|, is so located that the distance between the bottom of therecess `2|fand thelower face of lThe top' end of provided kwith avflangethe socket opening 2t.

pme 21 is greater than the thickness of the socket plate 23.

The cover plate 2 has an opening 28 of the same size'and shape as the socket opening 2t and vthese openings are in register with each other when the plate 23 is in its lowermost position determined by stop pin 211er the botto-m of the recess 2l. .The upper longitudinal edges of the cover plate, ldefining opening 25, are chamfered at 29 as shown. The chainfers 29 extend upwardly outward from the sides of said openf,

ing to'the top of the cover plate. The longitudinal edges of each charnfer form a V andthe apices ofthe V shaped chamfers are at oppositev ends of the opening.

The lower. longitudinal 30 are chamfered atii. The chamfers extend inwardly downward from the sides thereof to the` bottom. The longitudinal edges of each chamfer form` a V and the apices of the V shaped chainfer are at opposite ends of the tool head. With the tool head 3@ and the sides of the opening 28 cha'mfered as described, when the tool head 30 is inserted in the opening and rotated, the tool head will slide out of theA opening 281mless the toolA is lowered into the socket opening 26, thus assuring that the closure device cannot? be operated unless the tool head is' fully inserted;

therein and interlocked therewith.

In operation, assuming `'that the closure is tightlyconnected to the ll box unit, asshowny in Figure 1, and it is desired to `detach the closure from the ll box, the'operator inserts the tool head 3Q through the opening 28 and into At thismoment, the elements of the closure and the'll box `are in the relative positions shown, in Figures l, 2 and 3.1

After inserting the head @il of the tool into socket opening 25, the operator rotates the tool in one direction to unscrew or detach the plug `or clos` ure member 2D from the female coupling of the ll bOX. i

In the course of initially rotating the tool to, uncouple the plug or closure member Vfrom thev ll box, the socket plate 23 first rotates and rides upwardly onits threaded connection to the wallsl of the recess 2| until the upper thread of the` plate 23 is jammed between-the upper thread'on the ange 2l and the lower vface of the' kcover plate'27 to frictionally lock the plate 23 in its' upperposition, so that'the openings ZGand 3 are relatively displaced and no longer in registenj but the former is now disposed at ari-'angle to the other, with a portion thereof located subja-v v' cent the cover 27. When the plate 23 reaches thisposition, one extreme of the opening 25 is,v spaced just a small distancefrom the stop pinv 24. This movement of the plate 23 to jamming' position locks the tool `Sito the closure, and the positions ofthe elements of the closure and ther tool head 3i) are shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

As the rotation of the tool to detachthe Clo# sure from the ll box continues, the plate 23 rotates in unison with the plug or closure member ,to rotate ther latter with `respect to the upperv threaded section of the threaded cylinder ii Aof the unituntil the plug or closure member is de-. tached and removed from the unit.' The tool remains locked to the plug or closure member and the positions of the tool head 3%? and theelements are still in the same interlocking relation,v

ship shown in-Figures 4, 5 and 6. The operator cannot readily separate the tool from the clo` sure When the closure is uncoupled from the .unit and because of this they aremaintaine'd to.-

edges of the tool head ring turnable into fjammedconnection .withv said parted to said closure plug after portions ofjsaid gether when the1closureisfdetached from 'the-v" i unit. s

When it is `desired to couple theldetached plug. or closure member to the unit, the` operatorgrasps the handle 3310i'. the 'tool and carries the closure, which is interlock'edl therewith, vto the yunit to couple the same thereto.' The` .couplingl Zlof the closure is placed adjacent the coupling il of the .unitand they tool'isg'counter rotated. "i During counter rotation of` the tool, the tool headA 3% ino. locked relationship to the closurelrotates upon further oounter rotation of the tool, 'the. tool head '3d rotates-the socketplate 23`rand-'said 1i plate 23 travels `idowriwardly until it 'isv `st'olilledfi against the sto-pz einer when the @penales 1ej)l 25 socket-plate Hand-cover plate 2? are ir-register Thus, sincejth'evsocket plate 21E," remains'-infitsvv` y upper position and with the'tool locked tojtheclosure untilafter the closure has been tig-litlym coupled toy the unit, a 'tight coupling Vis. assured because the Workman cannot remove the tool until after artight seal `has been made.

Although the invention has been-dguise in@ detail, is not to be limited tolthefexaet con'- struction as shown because various niodiiicaf tions may-be made within ythe spirit of tl'lisinV Velmont. f 1 v `What is claimed: i

l. In combination a removable 'closur'e'fplug l forfa fill box or like access openingianda wrench' tool therefor, saidclosure plug 'havingmeaiis operative by rotation thereof for connectingthe same inhclosedrelation to the openingj'se'rved i thereby,A said closure plug hav-ing an.'-rite'rnally` screw-threaded recess in the top thereof, a'soclfet` plate having anon-circular wrench head re"elving-socket, saidsocket -plate'heing threadedinto' f ,y

said-recess subject `tocombined rotary 'and v...

sage vwith which said 'receiving 'socket .registers when saidsoc'ket plate occupies adovvn turned! normal initial position, said wrench tool .lia-vinga conforming head to pass` through.l saidcover plate passage to fitted relationwitlhinlsaid'r'eceiv'ing socket' oi?y saidl 'socketl plat .nd said `socket plate ley-rotation of saidwr'enehliead b cover plate whereby rotary motion-may be im- -tical movement-therein, a coverplate-aixedtoff saidclosure plug and over said recess,l said 4cover plate having a non-,circularwrench pase' wrench h'eadare moved out ofreg'istcr said' said cover plate to interlock said'wrencli tooi. andy closure plug together. J i f 2. In vcon'ibination -a removable closure plug for a ll box or like accessopen'ing arida wrench: tool therefor, said closure plug having means cip-.jf erative by rotation thereof for connecting the 'non-circular cover plate passageand beneath I same in closed 'relationftothe Aopening served thereby, said. closure plug having aninternally.y

screwthreaded recess in Vthetopthereoa socket',k plate having a hong-circular wrench, 'head4 re-V l 5 ceiving socket, said socket platebeing threaded;`

into said recess subject-to lcombined rotary-mnd f vertical movement therein, a cover plate aixed to said closure plug and over said recess,v saidv cover plate having a like non-circular Wrench head passage conformable to and with which said receiving socket registers when said socket plate occupies a down turned normal initial position, stop means to determine thenormal initial down turned position of said socket plate, said wrench tool having a conforming head to pass through said cover plate passage. to fitted relation within said receiving socket of said socket plate, and said socket plate by rotation of said Wrench head being turnable into 7jammed connection Withgsaid cover plate whereby rotary motion may be imparted to said closure plug after portions of said wrench head are moved out of register with said cover platepassage and beneath said cover plate to interlock said wrench tool and closure plug together.

3. In the combination of removableclosure plug and Wrench tool as dened in claim '1, wherein margins of said cover plate passage and margins of said Wrench head are provided With cooperating chamfered lips operative to outwardly eject said Wrench head from said cover plate passage if inserted therein and turned.

4. In the combination of removable closure plug and Wrench tool as dened in claim 2, wherein margins of said cover plate passage and margins of said Wrench head are provided with cooperating chamfered lips operative to outwardly eject said Wrench head froml said cover plate passage if inserted vtherein and turned.

ABRAM W. WHEATON. 

